•
Rating: The Iced Earth of 2007 seem increasingly to live in uncertainty: a shaky line-up bears witness to this. After the departure of Richard Christy, replaced by Brent Smedley, and that of Santolla, replaced by Troy Seele, they embark on a truly ambitious project: Schaffer already conceived it in 1998, during the recordings of "Something Wicked This Way Comes," and it is a concept album based on the infamous Something Wicked Trilogy, songs inspired by conspiracies and plots of an alien race (created by Schaffer's own imagination) to the detriment of humanity. But Jon decides to shelve the project to focus on the band's first live album, "Alive In Athens." This name should tell you something... It can be said that Schaffer made the best decision!!!
After almost 10 years, the project is taken up again, and thus the eighth LP of the American band is born: "Something Wicked Part I - Framing Armageddon," the first in a trilogy of epic proportions (the release of the second episode, Something Wicked Part II - Revelation Abomination, is expected by 2008).
What to say? The impression given is that Schaffer probably got a little bit carried away: sharp riffs, but sometimes too predictable ("Order Of The Rose"), songs filled with choruses that repeat endlessly and eventually become tiresome ("A Charge To Keep," "Ten Thousand Strong") and as many as eight interludes, between instrumentals ("Something Wicked Part II," "The Awekening") and introductions to subsequent songs ("Reflections," "Execution"). It almost seems like the band (actually, Schaffer, as Owens and Smedley seem to have been alienated from the project...) wrote under duress, and you can really feel the lack of that typical rage found in albums like "Night Of The Stormrider." It's evident that a good idea like a concept on Seth Abominae was somewhat spoiled by the excessive pomposity that some songs exude.
Of course, it's not all to be discarded: "The Clouding" is truly a pleasure to listen to, the chorus of "Infiltrate And Assimilate" is truly hypnotic, not to mention the power of songs like "Framing Armageddon" and "Setian Massacre," with really convincing and well-structured songwriting.
The promotional tour did not turn out to be a failure at all, a sign that the fans still want to headbang under the stage with the Iced, but certainly "Framing Armageddon" represents the least successful episode of the Owens era, although still a very listenable album: from Schaffer and company I expected more. Now we can only wait: Barlow has returned to the fold, to the great joy of all the fans, despite the excellent skill of his predecessor.
What will be the fate of the Earth? Will Seth Abominae manage to destroy the human race? But above all what will be the destiny of Iced Earth? We will find out with the release of "Revelation Abomination"!
Tracklist and Lyrics
08 Ten Thousand Strong (03:56)
A gathering summoned by the elder
The consequence of what's imminent
A prophecy dark and foreboding
Forces them to face human intent
The chosen seek refuge in the mountains
Reluctantly the love ones recognize
The sacrifice they must adhere to
The only hope for future Setian life
Like a Martyr sacrifice
Await the days of clouding
Earths Mother's sharing in our pain
Erase the Human memory
They know not of where they came
And though our hearts are broken
We have to wipe the tears away
In vain they did not suffer
Ten thousand strong will seize the day
What we possess, mankind is after
Direct decendants of the Architect
Children of God, seeds of creation
Stakes so high, we must never relent
We lie in wait til human minds are clouded
Initiation of the master plan
Assimilate, build new life among them
Centuries will pass, patience will win
We are the bane of man.
Await the days of clouding
Earth's Mother sharing in our pain
Erase the Human memory
They know not of where they came
And Though our hearts are broken
We have to wipe the tears away
In vain they did not suffer
Ten thousand strong will seize the day
12 The Clouding (09:18)
As I awake I have no memory of this
who I am, where I'm from, why do I exist?
this strange beauty surrounds me
but where I am confounds me
I see others who appear the same as me
a look of loss in their eyes, adrift aimlessly
what's the point? What does it all mean?
who am I? Show me a purpose please
Take this sense of wonder
make it go away
please tell me I am not alone and lost here
that there is something that's made me feel this way
Take this sense of sadness
make it go away
please give me something that's familiar
a friendly touch, a memorable embrace
I try to speak but empty eyes stare back at me
twisted tongues segregate, factions are forming
I'll stay with those that resemble me
to survive this harsh reality
As the days pass most have gone their own way
nomadic tribes discover life
on a world that seems so strange
but still I want answers
what's the point? What does all this mean?
Take this sense of wonder
make it go away
please tell me I am not alone and lost here
that there is something that's made me feel this way
Take this sense of sadness
make it go away
please give me something that's familiar
a friendly touch, a memorable embrace
Lies, the human core is lies
we wiped their minds, cleaned the slate
the clouding did divide
Fate, we sealed human fate
now they're ours throughout all time
to manipulate
Never trust in the motives of Man
they failed to evolve in Mother Nature's plan
and though they seem safe
in this early clouded state
the nature of their heresy
has proven quite innate
Pain, mankind will know pain
for their crimes on our kind
they'll never be the same
Death, they will know death
suffering for centuries
at war with every breath
Never trust in the motives of Man
they failed to evolve in Mother Nature's plan
and though they seem safe
in this early clouded state
the nature of their heresy
has proven quite innate
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By Starblazer
The line between grand and grandiosely boring is very thin and delicate.
The album requires multiple listens to be well understood or appreciated.
